Battle Scars
by LittleCreatureFear
Summary: "We're the same, you and I," Kate breathed. "I just wish it wasn't in this way." / Kate and her daughter show each other their battle scars.
1. Chapter 1

Two more weeks.

After the release of her husband's latest novel, the most natural thing for his publicist to do was to whisk him away from his family for a period of time to do his book signings across the country.

She sighed. She signed up for this.

(Although, she does feels justified sometimes. Her odd hours at the precinct balances out his impromptu book signings and guest appearances. She could call it even.)

She picked up her phone and scrolled through her contacts, pressing his name on the screen. He picked up after the first ring.

"To what do I owe this pleasure, my darling wife?" Rick's voice was warm and loving even through the phone, making her smile a bit.

"I still have a week before I get back to work," Kate reminded him, even though she knows he never forgot. "Might as well check up on you to see if you're still alive."

"Well, rest assured that I still have a pulse."

"Good to know."

They paused for a bit. She peeked outside their room to see if the door in front of theirs was still slightly opened; it was. She returned to her side of the bed.

"How are you holding up over there?" She propped her legs up on the bed, leaning against the pillows.

"Nothing much. Missing you, of course. Did a few interviews, signed a few books, a few chests-,"

"Castle."

"Just kidding."

"You better be."

"Promise. I can't wait to come home; it's like these days have been dragging on and on and I can't stand being away from you for so long." She could actually hear him pout on the other line.

"Same here. But at least I'm quite occupied so it's not that bad." Kate smiled.

"Ugh, I'm so jealous. I miss my little mouse. How is she, by the way?" Rick's voice softened at the thought of their small daughter, prompting Kate's heart to skip beats.

A middle aged couple was found dead at a crime scene a little over half a year ago. The reports say that the man was abusive and had a drinking problem, shooting his wife in a drunken rage before shooting himself to avoid facing multiple charges.

They found a small girl who couldn't be older than two or three underneath the bed in the master's bedroom, unconscious. Kate was the one who was able to find her. Her insides wrenched as she picked the child up, dead weight in her arms, and carried her outside in a rush to get her medical attention.

For some unexplainable reason, Kate couldn't distance herself away from the child that had been so recklessly raised up. She was there when the child woke up, introducing herself simply as Kate instead of as a cop. The child was understandably confused at the complete 180 turn, from being neglected and abused to being cared for and doted on, and couldn't help but be wary of anyone who came near her.

Kate was persistent, though. She stayed by the little girl's side, trying to make her feel more comfortable with her. Always asking for permission first before doing something. Allowing the girl to initiate contact instead of vice versa. It took a few weeks but it was worth seeing everyone's reactions when they found the detective sitting on the hospital bed with the child resting in her arms.

Naturally, Kate asked her husband if they could take her in. Allow her to experience a real childhood free from hurt and beatings and harsh words.

Rick couldn't think that he could love his wife more than he already did.

They were granted temporary custody after the first meeting with the social worker. Then after a few more months, temporary became permanent.

"Napping as of now." Kate said, her voice a tad bit lower. It was quiet for a second before she grinned as a memory flashed through her mind. "She called me Mama yesterday. I couldn't stop smiling."

"Oh my God, Kate, that's amazing! Please tell me you had it on video."

"Rick, she's four. I would've sent it to you by now if she were only a few months old, but that's clearly not the case," Kate admonished, but then added, "I was able to record her voice, though."

"Send it to me immediately. God, Kate, I'm so happy for you both. Is she talking a lot now? I hate missing out on so much." Rick was now talking a mile a minute, his excitement getting the best of him.

Kate only laughed. God, he was so sincere.

"She talks a bit; you know, little words. But she's slowly coming out of her shell and dear God, Rick, she's just so precious." Kate beamed, her voice light and warm from just talking about her daughter. "I know she understands a whole lot more than what she can say, though. She has a permanent thinking face on."

"I can imagine." Rick grinned. His phone beeped, indicating that he was supposed to be on his way to the next book signing. He sighed loudly, giving his wife a clear signal. "Kate, I have to go."

"I know."

"Did you already send the recording?" Rick asked, a little too eagerly. He wedged his phone between his ear and his shoulder as he used both hands to put on his shoes.

"I will, once you hang up."

"Okay, then I really have to go. I'll call you after the signing, alright? Give little mouse a kiss for me."

"Alright. Love you."

"I love you too."

He hung up. As promised, Kate navigated through her phone to find the recording, sending it once she did. With a slightly guilty smile, she played it for the nth time today.

* * *

><p><em>"Good morning, baby," Kate whispered, nuzzling her nose against her daughter's cheek. She saw a faint trace of a smile on her lips, her eyes bright when she fluttered them open. She was so precious. "Do you wanna come eat breakfast with me?"<em>

_She received a small nod before sitting up, stretching slightly. She was still healing. The child looked up at the person who'd done so much for her before apprehensively leaning against her arm. _

_Kate smiled, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, dropping a kiss on the crown of her head. _

_"Pancakes?" Her daughter asked in a small but clear voice. Kate sensed that she was obviously bracing for rejection; poor thing._

_"Of course. You want some fruit with that, too?" She offered, picking her up and settling her on her hip as she walked down the stairs. _

_Kate set her on a high stool first before maneuvering her way around the kitchen to get ingredients for the requested meal._

_"Do you want strawberries?" Kate asked by the fridge, holding out a plastic case for her to see. She nodded with a shy but eager smile on her face, her loose curls bouncing slightly. _

_"Yes, please." Her daughter said in that adorable voice. _

_She was using her words. Kate felt her heart swell with pride. _

_Having a feeling that her daughter was going to be talking a little more today, she decided to press voice record on her phone and kept it face down on the counter after laying out the ingredients._

_"I help?" Her voice was more uncertain now. She looked so eager but was constantly fearful of how Kate might react. _

_With a soft smile, Kate replied, "Of course, Ava." _

_She measured out the ingredients and let her daughter pour them into the bowl, as well as let her mix the batter, interrupting every once in a while from cutting strawberries to mix in the sides. _

_"This right?" Ava asked, mixing with both hands holding the spoon as Kate held the bowl in place. _

_"You're doing an awesome job, baby." _

_Ava smiled at Kate with her little teeth showing and she had never seen her smile like that before. She was opening up. _

_Kate started to ladle the batter over the heated pan that she prepped when her daughter was almost done mixing. She made a tall stack of pancakes for them to share, garnishing the top and sides with strawberries and allowing Ava to pour an immense amount of maple syrup on it. _

_They sat next to each other rather than across. Kate sliced little bite sized portions for Ava and transferred them to another plate while she ate directly from the stack, not wanting to contribute to the pile of dishes to be washed. _

_"Yummy," Ava expressed, shoveling one bite sized portion after another. She swallowed before continuing. "Thank you."_

_"Of course, baby. I don't think I could've done it without your help." Kate smiled, leaning over to kiss her temple. _

_"Kate?" Ava said, grabbing the detective's attention. She doesn't use her name; not usually. She usually taps her thigh or shoulder to get her attention. _

_"Yes, Ava?"_

_"Mama?" Her voice was small and shy, like a mouse, which was where Rick got the nickname from. _

_It wasn't a question of where her mama was, obviously. It came out more like she was asking permission if she could call her that, and dear God, Kate had been waiting for this moment. _

_"Yeah, baby," Kate smiled, feeling herself choke up. "I'm Mama."_

* * *

><p>Her phone buzzed with a text from Rick.<p>

**She talked so much! So happy for little mouse. **

**P.S. Mama suits you. :)**

She shook her head at her husband, but couldn't help but smile. When she put down her phone she heard a small voice coming from the other room.

"Mama?" Kate heard a whimper, and she all but rushed towards her daughter's room.

She looked so tiny on her large bed. She was crying so she must have just woken up from a nightmare. Poor girl.

She was a small girl, that one. She just turned four but still looked as if she had only turned three. She used to be so malnourished; her hair tangled and greasy, her bones protruding from her skin you could literally count her ribs.

She had come a long way since staying with Kate and Rick. She was almost at an acceptable weight for her height and age. Her scars were still there, but they healed up nicely. She's still painfully shy but she talks a little bit more everyday and she has the sweetest voice they've ever heard.

She still gets nightmares, though. And panic attacks and flashbacks. She shuts down sometimes and it freaks the both of them out but they're living one day at a time.

"I'm here, baby," Kate said, rushing to her daughter's side. Uncharacteristically, she threw herself in Kate's arms, seeking comfort from someone else for the first time. Kate held her tightly, Ava burying her face in Kate's chest as if trying to disappear.

"I ugly." She said, taking Kate aback.

"No, you're not, Ava." Kate countered, closing her eyes to keep her tears at bay. Where did this insecurity come from?

"I am. Old mommy and daddy came back and telled me I was ugly because I have so many scars." She admitted, crying into her shirt. So that was what she was dreaming about.

It was the most she's talked in her time spent with them but she's been too blinded by the hurt to even notice.

"Oh, baby," Kate soothed, gently rubbing her daughter's back and she rested her cheek on the top of her head. "I want to show you something."

She positioned her daughter so that she was sitting on her lap, a leg on each side and facing her. With a deep breath, she removed her shirt, leaving her in a thin bra.

"This one was from when I got shot," Kate started, running her fingers over the scar. She's come to terms with it. If this was what it took to help her daughter, then so be it. "I almost didn't make it, but I fought to live."

Ava raised her tiny hand up to touch it, but instantly recoiled.

"It's okay, baby. You can touch." Kate said, taking her small hand and leading it where her scar was. Ava ghosted over it, her eyes puffy but wondering.

"This was from when they were trying to get the bullet out," She moved on, tracing the scar on her side that went from the side of her chest to just above the hip.

She let Ava touch that, too.

She showed her a few more scars that littered her body, allowing her daughter to touch every single one of them.

"I have scars, too, Ava, and I don't think I'm ugly. I fought to protect people I care about and I got hurt but I survived. I'm here, because of them. And I'm glad I never gave because if I did, then I wouldn't have met you." Kate explained. Ava nodded her head, slightly understanding.

Her smart girl. Her smart, beautiful girl.

Kate was about to put back her shirt on when Ava's little hands stopped her. She did. What surprised her though was when Ava proceeded to take off her own shirt, struggling a bit but managed on her own.

She was showing her mother her scars. Kate already knew where most of them came from but she was so proud of her brave girl that she was going to tell her about them herself.

* * *

><p><em>Despite the fact that Lanie only assessed the dead, she had agreed to assess the little girl that her best friend was so enraptured with. The first time she saw her wounds, a mix of fresh and old, she wasn't shocked since she's seen this kind of damage before, but enraged because she's never seen damage like that on a child. <em>

_After the assessment, she called her best friend in and she was there with Castle in minutes. She was in a hospital bed with the smallest size gown draped on her. _

_"She'll wake up soon," Lanie told her best friend who was half-seated next to the little girl's side. "So, Mom, you ready for the assessment?" _

_Kate pushed the comment aside but found herself warming up to the nickname. She nodded her head, holding the little girl's hand._

_"She's got a couple of broken ribs but the doctors were able to bandage them up nicely. The slashes on her front and back are from cutters and broken glass, most probably beer bottles. The little spots on her arms, hands and chest are from cigarette butts, and then the bruises everywhere are from beatings. Some of these are really fresh, not even 24 hours old." Lanie gave her best friend a sad smile, knowing how painful it was to hear a child to go through so much._

_Castle was quiet in the corner, his fists clenched and his expression stoic. _

_"I'm glad they're dead," Castle seethed, loud enough for everyone to hear. They didn't admonish him like they usually do because they agreed with him. _

_"Poor girl," Kate crooned, brushing the hair away from the child's face. _

* * *

><p>Her daughter traced her scars, explaining them with the words she knew such as 'smoke sticks' and 'sharp things'. She explained what she had done to deserve them and from Kate's point of view, she didn't deserve any of it.<p>

"You can touch, mama," Ava mimicked, taking her mothers hand and allowing her to touch the cigarette burn she had on her chest, exactly where she was shot. She traced her other scars with trembling hands and she tried to keep the tears from falling but all efforts were futile.

"We're the same, you and I," Kate breathed. "I just wish it wasn't in this way."

She leaned down to kiss her bruises and scars. That what her mother would've done.

Ava had never felt so loved before. More tears fell.

"They can't touch you anymore," Kate reminded her, like she does everyday. "They're gone."

"I know. They in my head now." She said sadly, wrapping her arms around Kate's middle. It was only them, skin to skin, and there was something oddly comforting about that.

"I know how it feels, baby, but I can assure you that you'll forget about them soon enough," Kate said. She was young. She was bound to forget eventually.

"Okay." Ava said, her voice relaxed. Her head resting on her chest, her ear pressed against the bullet scar, the sound of her heartbeat calming her down. Very gingerly, Ava kissed Kate's bullet scar, warmth radiating throughout her body.

"Thank you, baby." Kate said, hugging her daughter tighter.

"Thank you, Mama."

* * *

><p><strong>It's been a while since I've written anything. I figured I'd take a crack at it again after getting hooked on this series for the past few weeks. <strong>

**Please do tell me what you think. Wishing you all the best! **


	2. Chapter 2

"Rick, remember that the social worker's dropping by the precinct at three later so I need you to bring Ava with you." Kate said in a rush, her voice a bit hushed at the end so Ava, who was sitting by the counter eating waffles, wouldn't hear. She sipped a bit of her coffee before putting on her coat. Rick helped her put it on, kissing her as she turned around.

It's been two weeks since Ava's been out of the hospital, her wounds treated and her ribs still healing, and two and a half months since she's been under the protective custody of the NYPD. Kate immediately offered to watch over the child, somehow taking advantage of it by personally vetoing potential homes after doing thorough background checks and deemed them all unfit.

* * *

><p><em>"Detective, I'm sure you know that forming such an attachment is dangerous." The social worker basically tutted, her eyes stern but not demeaning. <em>

_"I know," Kate sighed. "But there's something about this girl that I couldn't help but feel protective over her." _

_The social worker looks down at the detective's arms. Ava was curled up, her small head against Kate's collarbone. "I can see that much."_

_A short silence washed over them. _

_Kate opened her mouth to suggest, but the social worker beat her to it. "Have you ever considered being a foster parent?" _

_Kate breathed, nodding her head. _

_"It has crossed my mind these past few weeks. How does it work? Isn't there some paperwork I have to fill out?" Kate asked, a little too eagerly, making the lady in front of her crack a small grin. _

_"Yes," the social worker started. Kate sensed a but. "But detective, I promise to put in a good word for you but given your hours and the risk that comes with your job..." She trailed off. "I can't guarantee anything." _

_Kate nodded once, her eyes fierce. _

_"I'll make it work." _

* * *

><p>They were going to finalize the foster papers this afternoon. They wanted Ava to be there; let her see that they wanted her.<p>

"Don't worry about it. We're going to go around, do a bit of shopping before heading there." Rick smiled, then looked over to Ava who perked up slightly at the mention of shopping. "See, little mouse is excited."

Rick looked at the clock. It was half past eight; they'd go out at around ten and they'll able to cover a lot of ground before three.

Kate was about to open her mouth to retort, tell him to not spoil the kid, but she took into account all of the things that happened to her. She might've never even set foot in a mall or a store before.

"Don't have too much fun without me, alright?" Kate decided on that, kissing him again before moving over to Ava to kiss her forehead. "I'll see you later, baby."

Ava wrapped her arms around her middle tentatively, and Kate all but reveled in the hug, wrapping her arms around the child, smiling widely.

"You are so precious," Kate mumbled in her hair, chuckling softly before peppering her little face with kisses, making Ava giggle.

Kate's phone beeped. She groaned.

"Alright, I really have to go now." Kate announced, dropping a final kiss on Ava's head before kissing Rick and heading out of the door, her phone pressed to her ear.

"That just leaves you and me, little mouse." Rick smiled, and Ava smiled back shyly. She still wasn't talking much, but they didn't mind. They know she will, in her own time.

Ava was still slightly wary about Rick, given that her deceased father had given her majority of her trauma, but when she saw how he treated Kate these past few weeks she's been with them, she was slowly warming up to him.

When Rick first talked to her in the hospital and she looked absolutely horrified, he immediately wanted to change that, and if that meant not always being able to work on cases with his wife in precinct, then he'd do it.

Kate had already gotten Ava ready for their day out today, given that she wouldn't allow anyone else to see her naked. Medical findings didn't indicate any signs of sexual abuse, though, and for that they were grateful.

Kate had put up the little girl's long, light brown hair in high pigtails, making her look more adorable than she already was. She dressed her in thick leggings, layered tops and boots. Her small, navy blue trench was hanging on the coat hanger by the door, which looked quite similar to the one Kate was wearing before she took off for work.

Huh.

Speaking of getting ready.

He was still in his sleep shirt and flannel bottoms.

"I'll take a quick shower, little mouse. You good for a few minutes?" Rick asked, and Ava nodded her head, her pigtails bobbing along.

"Where do you wanna start, Ava?" Rick asked when he returned to the counter, hair still slightly damp. He rested his elbows on the counter in front of the little girl who was trying to finish her waffles but was clearly full.

"You don't have to finish them, sweetheart. Don't make yourself sick," Rick chastised lightly, feeling his heart breaking for the child. She knew how valuable food was, and she didn't want to waste anything that might be taken from her.

With guilty eyes, she pushed the plate forward, eyeing the remaining two waffles with sadness.

"Tell you what. Later, when you get hungry again, you can finish them. No need to waste anything. How's that sound?" Rick compromised, and Ava eagerly agreed, nodding vigorously.

Rick chuckled, transferring the waffles to a tupperware and placed it in the fridge so they could reheat it later.

It was only quarter past nine, but he figured since they were both ready to go, they could be a little early.

"Come on, sweetheart. We've got a full day of shopping ahead of us."

* * *

><p>Ava was obviously overwhelmed.<p>

Rick had her in his arms when they entered the large store, a bit disheartened at the fact that she didn't really weigh much, but was glad to see the little girl's eyes twinkle at the sight before her.

"Go on, pick what you want." Rick said, putting her down and letting her lead the way. Ava just stood there shyly, not knowing where to start, seeing that she's never done this before.

After a little more encouragement, Ava looked through the racks of clothes with scrutinizing eyes and whenever she saw something she liked, she touched it and looked at Rick with uncertainty, asking for permission or confirmation.

Rick followed her as she searched, smiling at how sophisticated her choices were. She picked out dresses and rompers and overalls, as well as plain shirts and camisoles, then he picked out a few shoes for her, holding them out for her approval. If she did get shirts with prints, though, he noticed that she picked out ones that had elephants on them.

Rick only smiled. It was adorable how she would copy his wife.

(He recalled an instance when Kate went to sleep with Ava. He made them breakfast in bed, and when he stepped inside, they were just waking up. Kate sat up, yawning and stretching a bit, and he noticed Ava looking at her, copying her as she did.)

They arrived at an activewear part of the store, and Ava held out a black leotard with a criss-cross design on the back in confusion.

"That's what you wear for dancing. Usually for ballet." Rick explained, and then pointed at a TV monitor conveniently showing an ad with a dancing ballerina.

Ava's mouth gaped slightly, walking towards the monitor with her eyes transfixed on the dancing. She was amazed at how gracefully the ballerina moved, and the fact that she was on the tips of her toes reeled her in further.

Rick smiled before dropping the clothes into the arms of a nearby stores clerk. "Get all of these in her size, please. I'll pay for them at the counter."

The clerk looked between him and Ava before studying her carefully, estimating her size before nodding and going off to do Rick's bidding.

Rick looked back at Ava and saw that she had forgotten about her shyness for a moment, attempting to copy the dancer as she jumped around and twirled, giggling softly as she did.

Rick whipped out his phone and took a quick video, managing to capture Ava as she was on her tiptoes, her arms above her head as she turned around before transitioning to an uncoordinated leap. He was grinning as he sent it to Kate with a caption.

**Ava got a little sidetracked. We got a little dancer on our hands.**

"You wanna dance like that, Ava?" Rick asked after putting the phone back in his pocket, squatting down to her level. He remembered putting Alexis in dance class; she enjoyed it for a few years but quit after getting bored with it. Ava looked genuinely interested, nodding her head at his question.

"We'll get you enrolled in a ballet class soon. Would you like that?" Rick smiled, and he was lying if he said that his heart didn't explode when she grinned at him, a huge toothy grin, and threw her arms around his neck, nodding against his chest.

"Yes, yes," Ava whispered, her voice barely audible but he heard it. His eyes widened, his grin impossibly bigger as he hugged her tightly, being careful of her ribs. "Thank you."

It was the first time she spoke to him.

"You're welcome, sweetheart." Rick breathed, closing his eyes, reveling in the moment for a little while. He stood up with a soft grunt, picking her up and settling her on his hip. "You wanna pick out your ballet gear now or continue going around?"

Ava pointed at the rack of leotards.

With a chuckle, Rick put her down and she looked though the rack, choosing a few black and pink leotards while Rick searched for the smallest size of pink tights, grabbing a few pairs when he found them.

"We'll get you fitted for shoes next time, alright?" Rick said, spotting a basket and putting the tights in, Ava doing the same with her leotards.

Rick checked his phone; Kate had replied to the video.

**Looks like it. She's too adorable. See you in a while, love you. **

Rick replied with an 'I love you too' before checking the time; it was almost noon.

He turned around to look for Ava, spotting her by a rack of turtlenecks. Walking towards her. He saw her holding a small, white turtleneck in her hands, her eyes thoughtful.

"That looks a lot like Kate's, huh?" Rick asked, and Ava nodded, smiling a bit. Her eyes were strangely eager, and Rick pieced it together in his mind.

"Ah, I see. You wanna wear that now?" Ava nodded again. Rick then had an idea.

"Come on. Let's look for black pants."

* * *

><p>Kate was taking a short break from the paperwork in front of her, groaning at how much she still had to file and approve. Esposito and Ryan were also by her desk, engaging in small talk while they helped their boss lessen her load.<p>

"How's the kid?" Esposito asked, and at that moment, Kate's phone beeped. Grabbing it, she saw that Castle had sent a video attachment.

His caption piqued her curiosity, but when she played the video, she couldn't wipe the smile off her face as she watched Ava twirling around in front of the TV monitor.

She typed in a quick reply before putting her phone down, and then saw the boys staring at her.

"What?"

"What was that?" Esposito asked, raising an eyebrow. "You smiled. Like a face-eating smile."

"Am I not allowed to smile?" Kate deadpanned. Ryan shook his head, knowing all too well. He was (still is) the same when it came to his own daughter.

"What Espo's saying is that your smile could cure cancer." Ryan chuckled. "That little girl's good for you."

"I think so, too." Kate breathed, then decided to acknowledge Esposito's question. "She's still not talking a lot but she's incredibly affectionate. Always looking for hugs, that little thing. She's also painfully shy but she has the most gorgeous smile."

Esposito nodded, noting how relaxed and at ease his boss was when she talked about the little girl. "She sounds adorable."

"She is."

"Mama Beckett does have a nice ring to it." Esposito joked, and Kate only laughed.

* * *

><p>It was already two thirty, and Ava and Rick still weren't at the precinct. Kate had tried contacting her husband but it went straight to voicemail.<p>

"Detective, the social worker's on her way," Gates informed her, and Kate nodded.

"Castle and Ava will also be here in a while," Kate replied. A brief, comfortable silence washed over them.

"How's the girl holding up?" Gates asked, slightly leaning against the doorway of her office. Kate gave her a small smile.

"She's doing great. She doesn't talk much, little words here and there. Her ribs are still a bit sore but her bruises are mostly healed." Kate said, her voice wavering a bit at her last sentence. She hated the fact that she'd gone through so much.

Gates nodded, but looked as if she wanted more information.

"She thrives on hugs and kisses, though. Loves to be held." Kate smiled, and Gates actually smiled back.

"I'm glad to see she's doing well in your care, detective." Gates commented. "Keep it up."

"Will do, sir."

Gates looked over Kate's shoulder and spotted Castle going out of the elevator, the little girl most probably holding his hand judging by the way he was walking. With a final nod and smile, she retreated back to her office.

"Yo, Mama Beckett, your shadow's here!" Esposito hollered, and Kate spun around, spotting Castle. Her eyes trailed down and she almost laughed loudly.

Castle had dressed Ava like her: in a white turtleneck and black skinny jeans, but was wearing black ballet flats instead of heels. They even had matching coats.

"Run to Mama Beckett," Kate heard her husband urge to the child, and Ava obeyed, running to Kate who rolled her eyes at the nickname that was catching on but was already on her knees, her arms wide open for Ava to jump into.

"There's my baby girl," Kate laughed, kissing her cheek soundly, making her giggle.

"The clothes were her idea. She wanted to look like you," Castle grinned, kissing Kate's temple when she stood up with Ava perched on her hip. "Sorry we took a while. We went back to the loft to drop off the bags before coming here."

"She looks way better in the outfit than I do, though." Kate chuckled. "Wait, bags? There's more than this outfit?"

"Of course. I let her run wild in the store. She has a whole new wardrobe, inclusive of ballet gear." Rick said nonchalantly. Kate shook her head. "Speaking of which, I need to look for a nearby dance studio. The one where Alexis used to take ballet closed down."

"I'll help you look for one." Kate offered, and Rick 'hmmed' in reply before sitting in his usual chair.

"That is so adorable," Ryan piped up, noting their matching outfits. "Didn't know you were into that, Mama Beckett." Kate groaned, throwing him a stern look before sitting down on her chair, setting Ava on her lap facing her.

"Did you enjoy your day out with Rick?" Kate asked, her voice soft and warm, a tone she reserved only for Ava. The little girl nodded, then looked between Kate's outfit and hers, smiling widely as she did.

"Same," Ava said quietly, but her tiny voice was packed with excitement. Kate only chuckled.

"Mmhmm," Kate affirmed. "Same turtleneck, same pants. No heels though, not until you're older."

Ava nodded obediently, not wanting to press any further. Her cheeks then flare up, a pink blush showing.

"Bunny kiss?" Ava asked shyly, looking down. Beckett released a breathy laugh before rubbing her nose against hers, making the child giggle before positioning her sideways, allowing her to rest her head against her chest.

It was little thing between them. When Kate visited the girl in her hospital room, she gave her a white, stuffed bunny. Ava was apprehensive at the kind gesture but nonetheless treasured the gift. When Ava was more comfortable around the detective, she would let Kate watch as she played with her bunny, rubbing her nose against the plastic one of the toy.

Kate went over to her, smoothing the child's hair with her hand before kissing her forehead, leaving the girl slightly stunned. Since she was sitting still, Kate rubbed her nose against the child's, much like what she did with her bunny.

It was the first time she saw her with a genuine smile.

Rick watched the two of them interact, smiling at how much the little girl had brought out of his wife, and how impactful Kate's influence was on Ava.

He knew that they weren't just going to be foster parents. He'll do anything to make the situation more permanent.

They're going to be a family. He'll make sure of it.

* * *

><p><strong>A little something with Rick. (And because I couldn't get this idea out of my head.) <strong>

**Enjoy this bonus chapter. Please do tell me what you think. Wishing you all the best!**


End file.
